November 10, 2021

16Nov

 

POLICY & POLITICS

 

Hearing on California's Recall System (Part 3)

Little Hoover Commission

Yesterday, we completed our third virtual public hearing on California's recall system. We heard from current and former state elected officials who shared their perspectives on the recall and on potential changes to the recall system.

 

North SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:​​ 

 

Stanislaus school chief takes stand against COVID vaccine mandate for students, staff

Modesto Bee

Scott Kuykendall, superintendent of schools in Stanislaus County, said Tuesday he will petition the state asking that COVID-19 vaccinations be a recommendation but not required for students and staff in schools.

 

Proposed map for Stanislaus County’s supervisor districts looks familiar. Here’s why

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County supervisors got a first look Monday at a proposed map for redrawing supervisorial district boundaries. The redistricting map proposes only small changes to the five districts.

 

Modesto considers trying safe parking program for people who live in their cars

Modesto Bee

Modesto may establish a safe parking program in which people who live in their cars, motor homes and other vehicles could sleep at night. The site would have security, portable toilets, drinking water and other basics.

 

UC Merced announces partnership to encourage Valley community college student transfers

Merced Sun Star

UC Merced on Thursday announced a new effort intended to encourage Central Valley community college students to transfer as Bobcats to the Gateway to Yosemite’s only four-year institution.

 

Council approves contract for roads program to begin

Turlock Journal

The Roads Initiative Program is officially underway in Turlock after the City Council on Tuesday approved nearly $1 million in Measure A funding to be used for its professional planning and preliminary design.

 

Turlockers past and present announce Congressional candidacy

Turlock Journal

Two more Republican candidates have joined the race to challenge Rep. Josh Harder next fall in the race to represent California’s 10th Congressional District — one with Turlock roots, and another with a Turlock address.

 

Central SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:​​ 

 

Fresno State weighs alcohol-sales rule changes at football games after Saturday night fights

Fresno Bee

Fresno State will consider amending policies on alcohol sales at football games after​​ a wild Saturday night that included three alcohol-fueled fights and five arrests.

See also:

 

Trustee says gay Pride is 'parades, naked people, sex, and men in G-strings;' resigns after Visalia teacher's complaint

Visalia Times Delta

Visalia Unified Trustee Christopher Pope resigned during Tuesday's school board meeting after he made "negative sexual orientation based comments" this summer toward a Golden West High School teacher.​​ 

 

Editorial: Fresno-area roads need fixing, but David Valadao wrongly votes on repair initiative

Fresno Bee

In fact, Valadao did just vote against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the $1 trillion package of spending measures to rebuild the nation’s crumbling roads, worn-down airports and tired rail lines, among other things.

 

These House members are vulnerable next year, and they’re not alone

Roll Call

With states across the country still drawing new congressional maps, significant uncertainty remains about which House members are most vulnerable for the 2022 midterms.​​ 

 

South SJ Valley:

 

COVID Update:​​ 

 

Kern County to hold potentially final redistricting hearing on Tuesday

Bakersfield Californian

Kern County supervisors could conclude the redistricting process at a meeting on Tuesday. During the meeting, supervisors will host a public hearing and potentially approve one of two final draft maps that have been drawn from their comments and community input.

 

Kern County supervisors approve ordinance prohibiting homeless encampments

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an ordinance that bans camping in many public areas on Tuesday. Billed as one aspect of a new package to combat homelessness, the ordinance strengthens the county’s ability to remove encampments from places such as public parks, riverbeds and beneath freeway overpasses.​​ 

 

Newsom references B3K in context of California's push for economic solutions

Bakersfield Californian

Gov. Newsom on Tuesday gave the clearest indication yet that he sees public and private investment in Kern's B3K Prosperity economic collaboration as the most appropriate way to help transition the county away from its economic​​ dependence on oil and gas production.

 

Central Valley Democrat accused of misusing campaign funds by Republican watchdog

Fresno Bee

A right-leaning federal watchdog filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission over whether Assemblyman Rudy Salas campaign misappropriated funds from his state Assembly run for his national one based on taped-up signs used at his launch event.

 

State:

 

COVID Update:

 

Gavin Newsom reveals why he canceled Scotland trip: His kids staged an ‘intervention’

Modesto Bee

After more than a week of silence, Gov. Gavin Newsom finally revealed the reason he canceled his trip to​​ Scotland for the United Nations climate conference: spending Halloween with his kids.

See also:​​ 

 

Governor Newsom Joins Day One Of The 2021 California Economic Summit In Monterey

CA FWD
Newsom joined the Summit as it kicked-off its annual gathering of​​ elected and civic leaders​​ in Monterey. This year’s Summit celebrates ten years of collective action, its achievements and the recommitment of policy solutions with equity top of mind.

See also:

 

Where are the flashpoints in California redistricting?

CalMatters

Draft maps are raising concerns from advocates and partisans. The state’s independent commission is responding in its line drawing as it prepares to release its official preliminary districts today.

 

Walters: California gets small share of infrastructure bill

CalMatters

California may get $45.5 billion from the new federal infrastructure program, but it’s small potatoes in a relative sense.

See also:

 

Opinion: Latinos across America are increasingly voting Republican. Can that happen in California?

Sacramento Bee

California likes to think of itself as a model for the nation, but last​​ week’s election results in key states tell a different story. As far as Latino voters are concerned, California is looking more like an aberration.

 

Opinion: Private enforcement in Texas abortion law flips liberal California playbook

CalMatters

California voters approved an initiative in 1986 that allowed citizen enforcement of pollution laws and exposure to toxic chemicals.

 

Federal:

 

COVID Update:

 

The Senate’s year-end to-do list is ‘going to be a train wreck’

Politico

The Senate is only scheduled to be in three weeks for the rest of 2021, with a recess set to start Dec. 10.​​ There’s almost no chance that schedule holds at this point, with the Democratic majority facing a to-do list more daunting than a Black Friday sales rush.​​ 

See also:

 

At least 13 Trump officials illegally campaigned while in office, federal investigation finds

The Washington Post

At least 13 senior Trump administration officials illegally mixed governing with campaigning before the 2020 election, intentionally ignoring a law that prohibits merging the two and getting approval to break it, a federal investigation released Tuesday found.

See Also:

 

Desperate, angry, destructive: How Americans morphed into a mob

The Washington Post

Most Jan. 6 defendants were not part of far-right groups or premeditated conspiracies to attack the Capitol.

See also:

 

It’s not too early to say GOP is well positioned to take Congress

Roll Call

A look back at political analysis over the last couple of decades shows that, even a year out from the election, it’s possible to accurately identify the direction of an election cycle, even if the magnitude or specifics are unclear.​​ 

See also:

 

Kamala Harris heads to Paris to mend fences with an old ally

Los Angeles Times

The Vice President will begin one of the highest-profile gestures in the Biden administration’s fence-mending mission with France on Tuesday when she arrives in Paris for several days of ceremonies and speeches designed to repair a​​ rare fracture in the close relationship with France.

See also:

 

Other:

 

Column: Federal scrutiny turns to small- and mid-sized businesses’ role in supply chain

Business Journal

California's role in the global supply chain, with its broad eastern exposure, is unrivaled but also at risk to cybersecurity attacks.

 

Feel like you don't fit in either political party? Here's why

VPR
Americans are divided not just by party, but also within them, enough so for Pew to sort Americans ideologically into nine distinct categories (one more than its last version four years ago, with some decidedly different contours.)

See also:

 

NASA says it can't put the first person of color on the moon until at least 2025

VPR

It's planning at least 10 Moon landings in the future — but NASA's leaders said Tuesday that an overly aggressive timeline from the Trump administration and a prolonged legal fight over a key contract are two reasons why it had to alter plans for its Artemis missions.

 

Facebook Allows Stolen Content to Flourish, Its Researchers Warned

Wall Street Journal

About 40% of traffic to pages in 2018 went to those with content that was plagiarized or recycled, and Facebook has been slow to crack down on copyright infringement.

 

MADDY INSTITUTE PUBLIC POLICY PROGRAMMING

 

Sunday, November 14, at 10 a.m on ABC30 –​​ Maddy Report:​​ ​​ "Veterans Programs and Services"​​ - Guest:Carole D'Elia, Executive Director of Little Hoover Commission and Jacqueline Barocio, Principal Fiscal & Policy Analyst - LAO. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

Sunday, November 14, at 10 a.m. on Newstalk 580AM/105.9FM (KMJ)​​ –​​ Maddy Report - Valley Views Edition:​​ ​​ "Valley Vets: Challenges and Opportunities"-​​ Guests: Carole D'Elia, Executive Director of Little Hoover Commission, Lourdes Morales and Jacqueline Barocio from LAO; Julie Cusator with Fresno Veterans Home; and Lorenzo Rios with Clovis Veterans Memorial District. Host: Maddy Institute Executive Director, Mark Keppler.

 

AGRICULTURE/FOOD

 

To fight off a California dust bowl, the state will pay farmers to reimagine idle land

San Francisco Chronicle

Droughts are becoming longer and more severe due to climate change; and the state has begun to implement the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, new restrictions designed to stop growers and other users from depleting aquifers.

 

As the world gets hotter, can cattle survive? A rancher’s quest for drought-proof cows

Los Angeles Times

Hill is experimenting on his ranch in the dusty mountains of Arizona: crossbreeding to develop smaller, lankier cows that retain less heat, aren’t as thirsty and live off the native grasses and bushes without the massive grain feedlots of the American cattle industry.

 

​​US food banks struggle to feed hungry amid surging prices

AP News

U.S. food banks already dealing with increased demand from families sidelined by the pandemic now face a new challenge — surging food prices and supply chain issues walloping the nation.

See also:

 

Opinion: Cybersecurity in agriculture: Don’t forget about mobile

AEI

As Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) noted on the Senate floor last week, an overwhelming number of agriculture companies have already been targets of cybercrime. Cyberattacks hit businesses at every level every day, and are not just targeting large multinational​​ corporations; as Grassley notes, they are happening to small businesses and individuals.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE​/​FIRE​/​​PUBLIC SAFETY

 

Crime:

 

Turlock teacher intervenes in dangerous campus altercation

Turlock Journal

Turlock High School psychology teacher Ryan Tribble responded to a stabbing that occurred between two students on campus at 9 a.m. Nov. 5., which resulted in the arrest of one student and the hospitalization of another.

See also:

 

Key court hearings begin in brutal Fresno mass shooting. Here’s why it could take weeks

Fresno Bee

Court proceedings moved forward Tuesday in the case of several men accused of a Nov. 17, 2019 southeast Fresno mass shooting that killed four people and injured six others, sending shock waves through the region’s Hmong population.

 

‘Operation Safe Neighborhoods’: Gangsters, guns, drugs targeted in Fresno crime sweep

Fresno Bee

Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama on Tuesday said a task force of local, state and federal officers made 106 felony arrests, seized 40 firearms and confiscated $140,000 in drug money during a week-long enforcement sweep.

 

Security guard stabs grocery shopper in fight over face masks, California police say

Fresno Bee

A security guard stabbed a Vons supermarket shopper in Santa Monica after a fight broke out over the man’s refusal to wear a face mask, California police said.

 

Biden administration cracks down on ransomware group

Roll Call

FBI arrests Ukrainian citizen in Europe and seizes $6 million in assets allegedly extorted by the REvil computer hacking group

 

Public Safety:

 

Clovis police chief’s dire report on short staffing leaves City Council ‘shocked’

Fresno Bee

Clovis Police Chief Curt Fleming sounded the alarm Monday, saying the department is in a dire situation that officials openly worry puts the​​ city into something of an identity crisis.

 

Justices’ Questions Suggest New York Gun Control Law Is Unlikely to Survive

New York Times

A New York law that imposes strict limits on carrying guns outside the home seemed unlikely to survive its encounter with the Supreme Court, based on questioning from the justices on Wednesday.

See also:

 

Fire:​​ 

 

California’s wildfire insurance crisis is easing. Why some carriers are returning

Sacramento Bee

Two of California’s worst wildfires in 2018 cost Allstate Corp. a half-billion dollars, but the insurance conglomerate was able to give investors some reassuring news: It had already shrunk its footprint in California by half, creating a buffer of sorts against future losses.

 

Jerry Brown focuses on saving California forests from fires

AP News

As smoke lingered in the air amid another destructive California wildfire season, former Gov. Jerry Brown invited a group to his ranch for an urgent conversation: What more could be done to save California’s forests from wildfires?

 

Pandemic Adds Stress to Already Strained Rural Fire Departments

Pew Trusts

Over the past 30 years, fire departments in both urban and rural areas have struggled to recruit new firefighters into a profession that’s more than half volunteers. In rural America, the pandemic has brought the crisis to a new apex.

 

ECONOMY/JOBS

 

Economy:

 

Newsom references B3K in context of California's push for economic solutions

Bakersfield Californian

Gov. Newsom on Tuesday gave the clearest indication yet that he sees public and private investment in Kern's B3K Prosperity economic collaboration as the​​ most appropriate way to help transition the county away from its economic dependence on oil and gas production.

 

Californians and Their Economic Well-Being

Public Policy Institute of California

While job conditions and economic circumstances have been recovering from the COVID-19 crisis over the past year, glaring disparities in economic well-being have taken center stage in policy discussions. Learn more by reading the full report from the PPIC.​​ 

 

The holidays are nearing, and merchandise meant to be on shelves is still on ships

NPR
With the holiday shopping season fast approaching, many businesses are still waiting for critical cargo that's stuck in traffic at ports. The race is on to unload containers to reach store shelves.

See also:

 

Prices climbed 6.2 percent in October compared to last year, the largest increase in 30 years, as inflation strains economy

Washington Post

Prices rose 6.2 percent in October compared with a year ago, the largest annual increase in about 30 years, as rising inflation complicates the political agenda for the White House and policymakers’ road map for the economy heading into the end of the year.

See also:

 

Stocks’ Slide Ends Eight-Day Winning Streak for S&P 500

Wall Street Journal

U.S. stocks fell back from record levels Tuesday, breaking an eight-day winning streak for the S&P 500. The benchmark index declined 16.45 points, or 0.3%, to 4685.25, its third-highest closing level in history.

 

Jobs:

 

Advice for large employers on navigating biden’s​​ shot mandate

Business Journal

Employers everywhere, including in California, need to decide whether they will have a mandatory vaccine policy or not. The original mandate allows the employers to choose whether it will offer testing, but the cost of testing falls on the employer.

 

California workers threaten strikes from health care to Hollywood. Will their power last?

Sacramento Bee

Thousands of lecturers​​ at the University of California. Tens of thousands of nurses and health care workers at Kaiser Permanente. Tens of thousands of workers in Hollywood. They are a few of the groups who are threatening to go on strike in California.

See also:

 

What Does the Federal Infrastructure Bill Mean for California Workers?

Public Policy Institute of California

Federal infrastructure dollars are likely to spur economic activity across the state, and some of the newly created jobs could promote economic mobility among workers with lower levels of education.

 

Court of Appeals Stays OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard

Ogletree Deakins

On November 6, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a stay of the Emergency Temporary Standard issued this week by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.​​ 

 

Some Gen Z job applicants are scrubbing campus political activism from their résumés

The Washington Post

After a surge of campus activism during the Trump years, a growing number of Gen Z job seekers are now discovering a downside to their political engagement.

 

Jobless Claims Fall to Pandemic Low, Continuing Downward Trend

Wall Street Journal

Worker filings for unemployment insurance edged lower last week, continuing their long glide path toward pre-pandemic levels as the labor market improves. Initial claims for jobless benefits declined to 267,000 last week, the Labor Department reported Wednesday.

 

Will ‘Green Energy’ Produce More Jobs? Three Experts Discuss

Wall Street Journal

As Washington considers increasing incentives for businesses moving to a clean-energy future, one​​ of the big questions is: Will the “greening” of the economy result in more employment or less?

 

Opinion: How much of your life will you lose by going back to the office? Try our calculator.

The Washington Post

In 2019, Americans spent an average of about one hour commuting to and from work each day. That may not have seemed like a big deal before the pandemic, but it has become a hard sell for many who’ve worked from home for more than a year now and learned that the show went on just fine from a distance.

 

EDUCATION

 

K-12:

 

Stanislaus school chief takes stand against COVID vaccine mandate for students, staff

Modesto Bee

Scott Kuykendall, superintendent of schools​​ in Stanislaus County, said Tuesday he will petition the state asking that COVID-19 vaccinations be a recommendation but not required for students and staff in schools.

See also:

 

Rural Central Valley school tops list of best for reading in California. Here’s how

Fresno Bee

The Reading Coalition released its annual Reading Report Card earlier this year, ranking the three Fresno County Schools, Kingsburg Charter, Clovis Unified, and Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified, at the top 10 in the state for student achievement in English Language Arts.

 

Philadelphia Child-Care Classrooms Sometimes Go Empty in Staffing Crisis

Wall Street Journal

The child-care industry had trouble attracting workers before the pandemic. The problem has ballooned into a nationwide staffing crisis that economists say is adding a drag on the economic recovery because it is keeping some​​ parents from re-entering the workforce while they search for child care.

 

Opinion: Democrats’ pandemic response was a series of missed opportunities

AEI

Policymakers should have prioritized an Operation Warp Speed addressed at preventing widespread learning losses that could damage a generation of children.

 

Opinion: Media’s misleading portrayal of the fight over critical race theory

AEI

This report examines how media covered the critical race theory (CRT) debate in schooling through an analysis of all news articles published between September 2020 and August 2021 by four major newspapers and three major education press outlets.

 

Higher Ed:

 

UC Merced​​ announces partnership to encourage Valley community college student transfers

Merced Sun Star

UC Merced on Thursday announced a new effort intended to encourage Central Valley community college students to transfer as Bobcats to the Gateway to Yosemite’s​​ only four-year institution.

 

Fresno State weighs alcohol-sales rule changes at football games after Saturday night fights

Fresno Bee

Fresno State will consider amending policies on alcohol sales at football games after a wild Saturday night that included three alcohol-fueled fights and five arrests.

See also:

 

BC digs deeper on carbon capture and sequestration

Bakersfield Californian

Bakersfield College delved deeper into the challenges and opportunities of carbon capture and sequestration during a webinar Tuesday focusing on what​​ is shaping up to be an indispensable technology for achieving carbon neutrality statewide by 2045.

 

More California Latino students attending college, but 'disturbing gaps' remain

EdSource

The number of students of Latino descent who are applying, attending, and graduating from public colleges and universities in the state has increased in recent years, but more needs to be done, according to a report released Tuesday.​​ 

 

​​​​Conservative thinkers, ideologues announce creation of 'fiercely independent' University of Austin alternative college

Chron

A slew of conservative thinkers, ideologues and media personalities have signed on to the creation of a new alternative university in Austin, Texas, according to tweets and articles published by the newly-announced school's staff Monday morning.

 

Op-Ed: UC churns through a quarter of its lecturers a year. Why I was forced to move on

Los Angeles Times

While UC students binge Netflix’s “Squid Games” in their dorms, most may not realize that the lecturers teaching their classes​​ are forced into real-life high-stakes squid games: We are fighting to survive in the UC system.

 

ENVIRONMENT/ENERGY

 

Environment:

 

Above-average rain totals needed to recover from drought

abc30​​ 

California hopes to inch its way out of the ongoing drought one storm at a time. The National Weather Service says thanks to October's rainfall, combined with Tuesday's storm, the rain season is off to a strong start.

See also:​​ 

 

Winged warning: Migrating birds hit hard by California’s drought

CalMatters

As the drought dries up California’s wetlands, traveling birds such as ducks, geese and eagles are struggling to survive and breed. “This drought is bad. The odds are against us,” a state expert said.

 

COP26 climate summit draft reveals which fights remain

Washington Post

The provisional draft accelerates how often countries would need to ramp up emissions-reduction targets and makes direct reference to phasing out coal

See also:

 

Opinion: New Infrastructure Law: Biggest Investment in Climate Until Next Week

Wall Street Journal

No wonder so many Americans are worried about the impact of​​ debt-fueled federal spending on consumer inflation. The Beltway binge enabled by Federal Reserve money-printing may have only just begun.

 

Energy:

 

State says it needs more time to meet injection deadline, plans to pressure oil producers

Bakersfield Californian

State regulators responding to a federal ultimatum have indicated they might not be able to come into full compliance with oilfield injection rules before a deadline imposed by the U.S. EPA because of the need for detailed reviews that the oil industry says are unnecessary.

 

Harnessing the energy of the ocean to power homes, planes and whisky distilleries

The Washington Post

It doesn’t matter if the sun shines or the wind blows. The tides turn. You can set your watch to them. The trick is how to generate cost-effective, renewable electricity from that limitless, ceaseless motion. They’re working on the problem in Scotland’s Orkney Islands.

 

Rising Oil Prices Put Biden in a Bind Over Climate Pledges

Wall Street Journal

White House mulls its limited options to boost supply; critics say situation exposes flaws in the president's climate-change agenda set out at COP26.

 

Renewable energy in the U.S. nearly quadrupled in the past decade, report finds

Washington Post

The proportion of electricity the United States gets from solar and wind nearly quadrupled between 2011 and 2020. While geothermal generation remained relatively flat, the three technologies combined for an annual increase of nearly 15 percent over that stretch.

 

Ethanol Prices Climb on Strong Demand for Fuel as Drivers Hit Road

Wall Street Journal

Prices for ethanol, the corn-based fuel that is a common additive to gasoline, have​​ risen about 50% year to date, with the near-term contract trading at about $2.20 a gallon on the Chicago Board of Trade.

 

General Electric to Split Into Three Public Companies

Wall Street Journal

General Electric Co. said it would split into three public companies, breaking apart the more than century-old company that was once a symbol of American manufacturing might and has struggled in recent years.

See also:

 

HEALTH/HUMAN SERVICES

 

Health:

 

Human infection of mosquito-borne illness found in Stanislaus County

Turlock Journal

A Stanislaus County woman has become the first person this year in the county to be diagnosed with St. Louis encephalitis virus, according to the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency.

 

Central California Blood Center needs O-type donors

abc30

The Central California Blood Center is in dire need of O-type blood. The center sent out an urgent call on social media on Tuesday morning, asking eligible people with type O blood to donate.

 

Pfizer and BioNTech ask FDA to authorize COVID vaccine booster for people 18+

VPR
The companies say the request is based on results from a study of more than 10,000 volunteers that show vaccine efficacy of 95% or greater for people receiving the booster.

 

A study links facing discrimination at a young age with future mental health issues

VPR

A new study suggests that people who face discrimination at a young age are more likely to develop behavioral and mental health problems later in life.​​ 

 

Johnson​​ & Johnson Opioid Verdict Overturned by Oklahoma Supreme Court

Wall Street Journal

The Oklahoma Supreme Court overturned a ruling that held Johnson & Johnson liable for contributing to the state’s opioid-addiction crisis, the second court decision this month to favor drugmakers in opioid lawsuits.

See Also:

 

Commentary: The bad food served in California prisons is a problem for human rights and public health

Sacramento Bee

Prison fare not only violates state law requiring inmates be provided sufficient, healthful food, but even California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Kathleen Allison has said she wouldn’t eat it. So why should our offenders?

 

Human Services:

 

$1.5mil lawsuit against major Fresno doctor group reopens wounds with Community Health System

San Joaquin Valley Sun

A Fresno software firm is suing one of the city’s largest physician networks alleging that it failed to pay more than $1.5 million in fees for the implementation and maintenance of a digital records management system.

 

Filipino American health workers reflect on trauma and healing on COVID's frontlines

VPR
In spring of 2020 Glenn Magpili, 42, got sick with COVID. The first wave of the pandemic had flooded New York area hospitals and Magpili, an emergency room nurse in Manhattan, fell ill in the same hospital where he'd been caring for patients sick with the coronavirus.

 

California rolled out websites and apps to fight COVID-19 — did they work?

CalMatters

California built many new tech tools in response to the pandemic, often​​ on a tight timeline. But the tools, such as MyTurn, the state’s vaccine portal, worked less well for older Californians, as well as those who lacked consistent internet access, or didn’t speak English fluently.

 

Sutter Health logs third-quarter operating profit of $104M as pandemic restrictions lift

Sacramento Bee

While Sutter Health still faces challenges, company leaders said,​​ the health care giant logged operating income of $104 million in the third quarter ending Sept. 30, up from a loss of $45 million in the same period one year earlier.

 

How to Negotiate Your Medical Bills and Debt With Your Hospital

Wall Street Journal

American households commonly struggle with medical bills, federal and consumer surveys show, often leading to lingering debt. Unpaid bills can drag down credit scores and prompt some people to delay care to avoid more debt.

 

IMMIGRATION

 

Biden administration wants to re-create DACA through new federal rule. What does that mean?

Los Angeles Times

At the moment, DACA is in legal limbo. The Department of Homeland Security is trying to reestablish the program through a new rule, a process that typically takes several months. People previously admitted into DACA can apply to renew their protections, but no new applicants are being considered.

 

A Los Angeles attorney found a novel way to get Afghans into the U.S. Will it work?

Los Angeles Times

As the Taliban stood poised to take control of Afghanistan’s capital city, Los Angeles attorney Wogai Mohmand watched, horrified, racking her brain for how to help her family and others escape.

 

LAND USE/HOUSING

 

Land Use:

 

Proposed map for Stanislaus County’s supervisor districts looks familiar. Here’s why

Modesto Bee

Stanislaus County supervisors got a first look Monday at a proposed map for redrawing​​ supervisorial district boundaries. The redistricting map proposes only small changes to the five districts.

 

Housing:

 

Modesto considers trying safe parking program for people who live in their cars

Modesto Bee

Modesto may establish a safe parking program in which people who live in their cars, motor homes and other vehicles could sleep at night. The site would have security, portable toilets, drinking water and other basics.

 

Kern County supervisors approve ordinance prohibiting homeless encampments

Bakersfield Californian

The Kern County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed an ordinance that bans camping in many public areas on Tuesday. Billed as one aspect of a new package to combat homelessness, the ordinance strengthens​​ the county’s ability to remove encampments from places such as public parks, riverbeds and beneath freeway overpasses.​​ 

 

A year into Project Homekey, do the numbers help bear out the cost?

Business Journal

Nearly eight months into the first Project HomeKey properties opening to the homeless in the Fresno area, five former hotels have served hundreds of individuals.

 

Demand for a single-family rental is 'through the roof': And Wall Street is on alert

Visalia Times Delta

The intense competition and shortage of homes for sale have contributed to the rising popularity of the single-family rental market, spawning many built-for-rent communities. In the last five years, the number of homes built exclusively for rent has increased 30%.

 

Opinion: Zillow sent its algorithm to take on the housing market. The housing market won.

Washington Post

Americans who have spent their pandemic living out real estate fantasies through Zillow can take some comfort in the fact that Zillow was doing the corporate version of the same thing. Except that it actually bought a bunch of houses, instead of just looking at them, and lost buckets of money.

 

PUBLIC FINANCES

 

Open Enrollment Gameplan: How to Compare Your Partner’s Benefits With Yours

Wall Street Journal

Millions of employees are sifting through their workplace benefits before their employer’s open enrollment deadline. One of the biggest questions they will settle is whether to join their partner’s benefits plan or keep benefits separate.

 

​​​​Elon Musk’s Possible Tesla Share Sale Comes as Tax Bill Looms

Wall Street Journal

Elon Musk’s pledge to sell 10% of his Tesla Inc. stock highlights the complex financial web the world’s richest man has spun around his personal fortune. Selling a stake valued at roughly $17 billion could provide Mr. Musk with a sizable liquidity infusion.

See Also:

 

Opinion: 5 questions for Kyle Pomerleau on Democrats’ tax proposals

AEI

Congressional Democrats have considered a number of tax plans to pay for their Build Back Better bill, including a 15 percent minimum tax on large companies’ book earnings, and a mark-to-market tax on billionaires’ unrealized capital asset appreciations. Kyle Pomerleau joined a recent episode of “Political Economy” to explain how these proposals would work.

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Council approves contract for roads program to begin

Turlock Journal

The Roads Initiative Program is officially underway in Turlock after the City Council on Tuesday approved nearly $1 million in Measure A funding to be used for​​ its professional planning and preliminary design.

 

New airline begins serving Fresno this week. Where it’s flying, what it means for travelers

Fresno Bee

A new airline is entering the Fresno market this week, with ExpressJet Airlines launching its “aha!” leisure brand with service between Fresno Yosemite International Airport and the Reno / Lake Tahoe region.

 

Many Valley businesses feeling impact of rising gas prices

abc30​​ 

Experts say California is on track to hit new gas price records. Consumers are feeling it at the pump. We spoke with​​ American Automobile Association Spokesperson Sergio Avila about what's driving the increase.

 

Editorial: Fresno-area roads need fixing, but David Valadao wrongly votes on repair initiative

Fresno Bee

In fact, Valadao did just vote against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the $1 trillion package of spending measures to rebuild the nation’s crumbling roads, worn-down airports and tired rail lines, among other things

 

Despite reopening, the US is still closed to many in world

Fresno Bee

The U.S. says that it's inviting the global community to visit now that the government has ended the ban on travelers from 33 countries. In reality, however, it will still be difficult — if not impossible — for much of the globe to enter the country and experts say it will take years for travel to fully recover.

See Also:

 

The infrastructure package puts $66 billion into rail. It could power the biggest expansion in Amtrak’s 50-year history.

The Washington Post

The bill includes $66 billion in new funding for rail to address Amtrak’s repair backlog, improve​​ stations, replace old trains and create a path to modernize the Washington-to-Boston corridor, the nation’s busiest.

 

Solar-Powered Electric Vehicles​​ are Almost Ready to Hit the Road

Wall Street Journal

These and other solar-power vehicles now in development are the descendants of spindly, solar-powered contraptions that gearheads from around the globe have been racing across the Australian Outback for​​ decades.​​ 

See also:

 

The Journey of One Southwest Plane Explains the Misery of Travel Now

Wall Street Journal

To understand how routine airline disruptions have been mushrooming into travel meltdowns affecting a million passengers or more, consider the recent four-day odyssey of a single plane: a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 called N8661A.

 

WATER

 

After light rain in Merced County, here’s what forecasters expect for later this week

Merced Sun Star

Merced’s rainfall has petered out for now, but National Weather Service meteorologists project that Valley drivers should be cautious of dense fog conditions potentially clouding mornings throughout the next week.

 

Fresno Irrigation District adding new recharge basins

abc30

Area canals in the Fresno Irrigation District have run dry but at some point during a wet year, a new recharge basin south of Fresno will be full of water.

 

Metropolitan Water District declares drought emergency in Southern California

Los Angeles Times

Southern California’s largest urban water district declared a drought emergency on Tuesday and called for local water suppliers to immediately cut the use of water from the State Water Project.

 

“Xtra”

 

Key facts about U.S. Latinos for​​ National Hispanic Heritage Month

Pew Research Center

National Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins each year on Sept. 15, celebrates U.S. Latinos, their culture and their history. Here are some key facts about the nation’s Latino population by geography and characteristics like language use and origin groups.

 

Military deals on Veterans Day: Here’s what national chains in California are offering

Sacramento Bee

Veterans Day is this Thursday and many restaurants nationwide are serving up free meals to honor former and active members of the military. Here is a list of some of the chains offering deals on Veterans Day in California — and nationwide.

 

Test yourself with our new free game: PolitiTruth

Think you can tell the difference between True and False?

Do you really know what is fake news?

 

Support the​​ Maddy Daily

 

HERE

 

Thank you!

 

 

Maddy Institute Updated List of San Joaquin Valley Elected Officials​​ HERE.

 

The Kenneth L. Maddy Institute​​ was established to honor the legacy of one of California’s most principled and effective legislative leaders of the last half of the 20th Century by engaging, preparing and inspiring a new generation of governmental leaders for the 21st Century. Its mission is to inspire citizen participation, elevate government performance, provide non-partisan analysis and assist in providing solutions for public policy issues important to the region, state and nation.

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ 

This document is to be used for informational purposes only. Unless specifically noted, The Maddy Institute does not officially endorse or support views that may be expressed in the document. If you want to print a story, please do so now before the link expires. ​​​​​​​

 

Subscribe to the Maddy Daily​​ HERE

 

Or, to Subscribe or Unsubscribe: email gcruz0521@csufresno.edu